Labyrinth of war: archipelago fleets and society in the Gulf of Finland 1520–1809

Abstract

This research note provides an overview of archipelago warfare and its impact on society in the Gulf of Finland during the early modern period. It focuses on geographical conditions in the Gulf, and the birth of archipelago warfare. The inner archipelago of the Finnish coast was a labyrinth of war, and a peculiar theatre for naval warfare, in which galleys dominated battles over sea lines of communications. In the sixteenth century, Sweden had one of the largest galley fleets in the world. The Vasa dynasty even tried to initiate naval co-operation with the superpower of the era, Spain, ruled by Philip II. In the seventeenth century, Denmark emerged as the main enemy. Accordingly, war in the archipelago temporarily came to an end, and emphasis was placed on fleets built for the open sea. After the founding of St Petersburg in 1703, a new era of galley warfare began in the Gulf, and both Russians and Swedes assembled remarkable fleets of oared vessels. The founding of Sveaborg fortress as a base for the archipelago fleet in 1748 was a turning point, for its construction had a major impact on the vicinity and paved the way for the growth of Helsinki. The Gulf of Finland was the last place in the world in which oared vessels were used in warfare.